The world’s youngest woman to captain the Boeing 777, the journey to the top hasn’t been one without obstacles or challenges for Anny.

Currently based in Mumbai, the young aviator had always dreamed of becoming a pilot and started training to be a pilot at the age of 17, and although she was supported by her parents, other family members did not agree with her career choice.

But Anny, who grew up in Andhra Pradesh, India, refused to listen to her critics. Instead she persevered with her career path until she was able to join the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), a flying school in Uttar Pradesh.

Anny told Times Now :

“I am thankful to my parents and teachers for what I am today. “My parents really believed in my goal and let me fly. There were no jobs at the time, so it’s not like the money my parents were putting in was something that I could earn later. “Nobody was doing any pilot course in Vijayawada at that time. So I was not encouraged to do it by a lot of people around me. But I just wanted to fly.”People made fun and laughed at me but I knew that I had to speak – even if I made mistakes – to actually learn.”People used to mock me for my poor English and that hurt me a lot.”

Anny refused to give up, and continued to try out her English skills at her flying school, until she had a much better grasp of pronunciation.

Then aged 19, she travelled to Spain for further training, which is where she first flew a Boeing 737.

Then, aged 21, Anny was sent to London to complete advance training and piloted a Boeing 777 for the first time.

She has also earned a degree in BSC Aviation, is a classical keyboard player, a dancer – and has a post-graduate degree in law.